, 1887-09-02
PAINT THE TOWN BLACK.
The Old PlumbagO Canyon Graphite
Mines to be e-0pened.
Wyoming Will Supply the World
With Stove Polish and Pencils.
A Plant for the Reduction of the
Mineral Mill Be Built.

I've been out near Laramie peak, in
vestigating the plumbago deposits in that
section, said W. c. Knight, the miner
alogist, in reply to a query propounded by
a LEADER representative yesterday.
What is the result of the trip2' asked
the reporter. Entirely satisfactory.
Here are several fine specimens from the
graphite beds of Plumbago canyon. Al
though | have as yet made no assays, L
am confident hat the find is a very valu-
Abe one
1t has for many years been a well
known and widely published fact that
enormous quantities of plumbago, or
graphite, lay in the Black hills range of
the Rockies, about sixty-fve miles from
this city. On several occasions prospect
holes have been sunk and specimens sent
east for analysis, and always with the
same result. The ore has been pronounced
valuable and rich. Several Cheyenne
men have at various times been interested
in the discovery, but for some reason or
ether have never diligently prosecuted the
work of development.
Mr.. Knight and other interested gentle
men have taken up four claims in the
district and will commence their develop
ment at once. Specimens of the find
have already been sent to the Dixon
Crucible company and other concerns
which utilize the material in manufac
lures. AS an experiment the assayer put
a brilliant polish upon a large piece of
iron with a specimen of the ore, conclu-
sively proving that a fine grade of stove
backing may be easily and proftably
manufactured from the ore. A plant for
the manufacture OF this article would
cost only about $4,000, and the output
would be sufficient to supply the entire
Western country.
Plumbago Canyon, where the mines are
located, is eleven miles from the Union
Pacific and twelve miles from the Chey-
enne Il Northern, hence the ore could be
hauled to this city for a very nominal
figure. A plant for the reduction of the
product Of the mines is a very simble and
cheap affair. From present indications it
is not a rash or far fetched assertion to
remark that the Cheyenne Plumbago Re-
duction works will be in operation within
five months.
Graphite Is marketable at all times.
Over 1916, 600 worth of the mineral was
imported into the United States last year,
and the demand is constantly increasing.
Its uses are various, among those men
toned in a recent government report are:
Manufacture 70 crucibles. r%etorts, stop
pers, etc; stove polish, lubricating, foun
dry facings, washings ETC., graphited
greases, pencil leads, graphited packing,
polishing gunpowder and shot, manufac-
turing paint; photographers and hatters'
uses and electrical supplies.
The demand for the article by electric
ians has increased IS per cent in the past
two years. The imported plumbago is
from Austria and Germany.
The manufacture OF lead pencils is a
great and growing industry. employing
thousands Of men and an enormous
amount of capital, much of which is an
nually invested in raw graphite, or
~plumbago.
Now that the mines are in the hands of
gentlemen who intend to open and de-
velop them it is only a matter of a few
months when Wyoming plumbago will
become a staple article of commerce.
1t is greatly regretted that the late
"~Plumbago" Kelly, Luke Murrin's faith.
er in-law, cannot be in Cheyenne at pres
ent. Naturally interested in mines and
mining he became very enthusiastic over
the extensive deposits of the valuable
graphite, and time upon time he erected
reduction works and pencil factories in
this city-but always on paper. Though
very earnest about the matter he failed to
arouse sufficient interest in others and his
well meant plans failed. The gentleman
was also very confident that Iron noun
tain contained fortunes for thousands of
men who we're willing to invest.